HC Deb 27 May 1952 vol 501 cc1126-8
3. Mr. Wyatt

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of men who have now enrolled in the Home Guard; and how many of these have enrolled east of a line from Flamborough Head to Selsey Bill, and west of that line, respectively.

9. Sir I. Fraser

asked the Secretary of State for War what progress has now been made with recruiting for the Home Guard.

Mr. Head

The first monthly return showed that by 15th May 10,704 men had enrolled in the Home Guard. In addition, about 18,000 are now earmarked for expansion of the cadre units. It would not be in the public interest to give the breakdown asked for in the first Question.

Mr. Wyatt

Is not this a deliberate attempt to evade the Question because of the foolishness to which it would expose the Secretary of State for War, as a few weeks ago he gave county by county the exact number of men who had registered in the Home Guard? The purpose of my Question, as he knows, is to find out how many people have enrolled out of the 100,000 asked for east of a line from Flamborough Head to Selsey Bill and out of the 25,000 asked for west of that line.

Mr. Head

It is not for any such purpose. Registration is a different matter from enrolment. It would be better if the hon. Member concentrated more upon the interests of the defence of the country than upon sniping at the Home Guard.

4. Mr. Wyatt

asked the Secretary of State for War how long it is proposed to continue with the experiment of forming a Home Guard since a sufficient number of volunteers are not forthcoming to make the scheme effective.

Mr. Head

The formation of the Home Guard will continue. The figures that I have given cover only two weeks' enrolment and I would suggest to the hon. Member that his conclusion is both premature and unhelpful.

Mr. Wyatt

As this scheme, against the advice of the Opposition, was instituted in January, and as the rate of recruiting has only produced, I think, 28,000 of the 165,000 earmarked or allowed for in the Army Estimates, is it not quite clear that we are wasting the time of the country and of the War Office in proceeding with this recruiting scheme?

Mr. Head

No, I do not think that is at all clear. Enrolment has only been going on for a fortnight and I have the highest hopes that the hon. Member's own hopes will be disappointed.

Mr. Wyatt

Is it not clear that enrolment is not keeping pace even with registration?

Mr. Head

Registration ceased some considerable time ago.

15. Mr. Emrys Hughes

asked the Secretary of State for War what expenses have been incurred in connection with publicity and advertising for the Home Guard in Scotland; and how many recruits have been obtained.

Mr. Head

A sum of £194 has been spent centrally on advertisements. In addition, an allotment for unit expenditure of this kind in the first quarter of this year of £15 has been made to each battalion, but I do not yet know how much of this allotment has been spent. Up to 15th May, 647 men had enrolled and 1,660 had been earmarked for cadre units.

Mr. Hughes

Is the I.C.I. expert operating north of the Border?

Mr. Head

He is ubiquitous.

Mr. Wyatt

What does the right hon. Gentleman mean by "earmarked for cadre"? Does he mean that these are people who originally registered but who did not want to enrol?

Mr. Head

These men are those who registered and are to be interviewed for the cadre battalions, which cannot go above the cadre strength of 55 men per unit.

Mr. Hughes

When the right hon. Gentleman says that the I.C.I. man is ubiquitous, does not he mean that he is superfluous?

Mr. Head

No—the very reverse.